


Believe in the Future

by shiny_glor_chan



Category: Persona 3, Persona Series
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Gen, Kid Fic, Long Live Feedback Comment Project, M/M, S.E.E.S Team, The Rest of S.E.E.S. Are in This But Not Much, Trope Bingo Card
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:14:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25841905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiny_glor_chan/pseuds/shiny_glor_chan
Summary: Due to Tartarus shenanigans, Akihiko's been de-aged into a small child. S.E.E.S and Shinjiro take this as well as one can take this kind of nonsense. <3
Relationships: Aragaki Shinjiro & Sanada Akihiko, pre-Aragaki Shinjiro/Sanada Akihiko
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30





	Believe in the Future

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHINJI! I'm so pleased that even moving into another fandom didn't stop me from posting fic for my fave P3 boy. Sorry, P3 fandom, I abandoned you for a year. I wrote this all this morning, so sorry for any typos or such. <3

Yukari stretches after being hunched over her desk for hours, studying. It's not usually how she wants to spend her weeknight. Even going with the other to Tartarus would have been more exhilarating, but Yukari knows her habits. If she didn't start studying early, she'd be screwed later. Luckily, S.E.E.S. is so big now, Yukari figured there'd be no problems if she passed on a trip.

With all the commotion downstairs moments later, Yukari thinks that maybe she was wrong. She heads downstairs in a hurry to see Kotone furiously apologizing, Junpei looking sheepish, and Shinjiro holding a small, bouncy child. Yukari stares incredulously then turns to find Mitsuru or Fuuka in the chaos.

“Takeba, everything's fine,” Mitsuru tells her when they meet eyes, and Yukari immediately disbelieves her and turns to Kotone for answers.

Kotone's face is red, and her eyes are puffy. “I got Akihiko-senpai turned into a kid!” she exclaims with a sniff.

Yukari blinks as she turns to look at the kid in Shinjiro's arms. He can't be more than five, but the shock of white-gray hair and pale eyes are unmistakable. Shinjiro looks uncomfortable with the whole situation, but he's keeping up with any squirming Akihiko does to escape.

“I want down,” the small boy demands.

Shinjiro just rolls his eyes. “No,” he says with no room for argument.

Akihiko just pouts, arms crossed. “Big Shinji's mean,” he states, and Yukari has to cover her mouth before she giggles too loudly.

“Deal with it, kid,” Shinjiro tells him before his eyes fall on Kotone. “Shiomi, it really isn't your fault. Stop beating yourself up.”

“So what happened, exactly?” Yukari questions, watching a tiny version of her senpai glare at her other senpai.

“Shadows do weird shit, what else is new?” Shinjiro offers with a scoff as Akihiko stares at him with wide eyes.

“Shinji cursed!” little Akihiko gasps, and Junpei starts laughing.

It earns him twin icy glares from his still teen senpais, and he straightens up pretty quickly. “Look, it's funny! And he'll be fine, right? Fuuka-chan said so!” he defends himself, and Yukari turns to Fuuka.

Fuuka looks fluster when everyone's attention turns to her. “Junpei-kun! I know I said it should be fine by the next Dark Hour, but to say that with complete certainty...” she trails off, biting her lip.

“I'm sure you're right, Yamagishi-san,” Ken pipes up, not looking Shinjiro's way. “Maybe we should sleep on this? Tomorrow's Sunday... We'll have more time to figure something out...”

“Wow, Ken-kun, you're always so composed,” Yukari compliments before covering her mouth with a yawn. “I'm tired from all my studying, but you guys must be exhausted.”

Kotone hums in agreement. “Yukari-chan's right. ...Shinji, do you need help with Aki...?” she asks carefully.

Akihiko hears his name and turns his head to look at Kotone, cheeks puffed up. “I'm staying with Big Shinji!” he announces, clinging to Shinjiro's coat with a single-minded focus.

Shinjiro sighs as he ruffles Akihiko's hair. “Fine, but only until you pass out. You have your own bedroom.”

“No, I'm sleeping with Shinji!” he shouts, holding tighter.

Pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand, Shinjiro leaves the rest of the S.E.E.S. members to head upstairs without a word to them. “I'm going to tell you all the shit you say right now when you're back to normal,” he mutters to himself.

“Another 100 yen for the swear jar,” Akihiko says happily, because little kids will hear everything.

“Yeah, yeah, remind me tomorrow, Aki,” Shinjiro replies as he reaches his bedroom. 

Akihiko nods as he yawns widely. “I will! You can't say bad words, Shinji, because you're not bad.”

Shinjiro snorts at the small boy's assumption, but he doesn't say much as he gets them both ready for bed. It's less awkward than Shinjiro thought it would be. Not to say it isn't, because this is his best friend looking as small as he did when they lived at the orphanage together. Maybe younger, but Shinjiro isn't trying to figure out shadow magic logic.

When Shinjiro places little Akihiko onto his bed, the boy holds on tight to his arm. “Shinji, I dun wanna be alone.”

It's something Shinjiro hasn't heard in a long time, but he still has the memories of when they were small and Akihiko would cling to him when Miki was fast asleep. Insecurities always came for Akihiko at night, back then. Shinjiro doesn't protest as he climbs into bed and lets his tiny best friend curl up against him.

“You're not alone anymore, Aki. I promise,” he murmurs against Akihiko hair.

Akihiko yawns again, eyes falling shut. “You're not either, Shinji,” he says sleepily. “I'll never let...Shinji...be lonely.”

It makes Shinjiro's heart squeeze at the words, and it gives him pause for the first time about his plans for October. He's seen how strong Akihiko's grown, but deep down, they're both just scared children, not wanting to be abandoned and left alone.

* * *

At some point, Shinjiro's thoughts had faded to black, because as he blinks his eyes open, he can tell the sun is peaking through his window. Not only that, there is a heavy weight on his chest. A moment of panic shoots through him as Shinjiro thinks that maybe his persona suppressants are finally catching up to him a bit sooner than he thought.

There's a groan from the weight on his chest, and any worry about his physical well-being dissipates as he looks down to see a fully grown Sanada Akihiko sleeping soundly. Shinjiro can feels his face heating up as he takes in the situation at hand.

Last night, he'd fallen asleep with a mini version of his best friend cuddling next to him, and now, Akihiko just had to recover from it overnight. Shinjiro's first thought to solve this problem is to throw his friend off the bed. It's tempting, especially now that Shinjiro is noticing that the over sized shirt he gave a little Akihiko to sleep in is covering a lot less than it did last night.

Akihiko takes the decision away from him by slowly waking up, and Shinjiro freezes as Akihiko's eyes open and stare at him. “Shinji...?” he asks sleepily.

Shinjiro nods as he watches recognition spreads across Akihiko's face. “Oh fuck...” he curses, scrambling off Shinjiro in a tangle of limbs just to fall off the bed.

“Another 100 yen for the swear jar,” Shinjiro points out, not bothering to hide his laugh.

Standing up, Akihiko glares at his best friend. “Like you don't curse like a sailor.”

Shinjiro tries to reply, but the shirt really isn't leaving much to the imagination. He clears his throat as he offers Akihiko the blanket from the bed. Akihiko looks confused for a second before looking down then quickly covering himself up. After all, the shirt definitely didn't cover much.

“How did-! What did we do last night...?” Akihiko asks in a flurry of embarrassment.

“You got turned into a kid in Tartarus,” Shinjiro points out bluntly. “That shirt was big enough last night.”

Akihiko scrunches his nose. “Why wasn't I in my own bed?”

“Because you're a clingy kid that said, and I quote, 'No, I'm sleeping with Shinji!'”

Akihiko falls silent, just staring at the bed in front of him. Shinjiro can pinpoint the exact moment Akihiko remembers everything, especially their words before bed. His face turning a bright red tells Shinjiro everything he needs to know.

“...I guess I haven't changed much from when I was a kid, huh?” Akihiko says quietly. “I still don't want to be alone.”

Shinjiro swallows thickly, taking a moment to respond. “Ain't no one really want to be alone, Aki. Not really.”

“That mean you too, Shinji?” he asks, watching him carefully.

“...yeah, me too,” Shinjiro replies, almost too quiet, but Akihiko hears him and reaches out to him.

“Then let me help. I meant what I said, even if it was as a little kid,” Akihiko tells him fervently. “I'll never let you be lonely.”

The vulnerable look in Akihiko's eyes is almost too much to bear, and Shinjiro can't help but reach out in return. He takes Akihiko's hand and pulls him close. Akihiko stumbles into the bed and holds tight once Shinji's wrapped his arms around him. 

He can hear Akihiko murmuring promises to never leave him. It's hard to not promise the same in return, but not when Shinjiro knows what his future has in store. In the moment, he does start to believe that maybe there's another way. If anyone could make Shinjiro believe in a future, it'd be Akihiko.

**Author's Note:**

> Points for those that get the swear jar reference. <3
> 
> I'd link my tumblr, but I wandered off. Maybe my twitter? [@shinyglorchan](https://twitter.com/shinyglorchan) I'm trying to talk about fic and fandom there, but we'll see how that works out. XD
> 
> This story is part of the LLF Comment Project, which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates feedback, including:
> 
> -Short comments  
> -Long comments  
> -Questions  
> -Constructive criticism  
> -“<3” as extra kudos  
> -Reader-reader interaction
> 
> I love comments of any kind. If it's easier for you to not receive a reply from me, just add "Whisper" to your comment, and I won't reply. I want my readers to be comfortable while gently reminding everyone that authors need feedback to survive. I know I do! <3


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